It’s too bad – can you imagine a fight on the Wrigley rooftops? It would be like the Matrix… with Cubs baseball!
Concerned that the Cubs might follow through on the threat to put up blinds to block his mid-block view, rooftop owner Anthony Racky agreed Thursday to share 17 percent of his 2008 profits with the team.
The owner of the Lakeview Baseball Club, 3633 N. Sheffield, also agreed to reimburse the Cubs for legal fees tied to the breach of contract lawsuit filed against Racky in federal court. CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
Ultimately it is good thing, if for no other reason than it means no ugly blocking screens this year.
Racky had withheld the 2008 payment to protest a Jumbotron that, he claims, blocked half his view during the NHL’s New Year’s Day Winter Classic.
The rooftop sold out for the game between the Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings. But Racky argued that fans who had trouble seeing the rink would have to be given a future discount or freebie and that the Cubs should pay for it.
His one-man protest suffered a major blow last week, when a federal judge refused to prohibit the Cubs from blocking Racky’s view.
On Thursday, both sides buried the hatchet and the Cubs put away the blinds.
I wonder what the ultimate agreement provided regarding future blockages. I know I wouldn’t want to share the full 17% if my patrons had blocked views. We’ll see if this rears its head again in the future.